


Adventures in the Perseus Arm

by JaKedeSnaKe



Series: Life in the Perseus Arm [1]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: AU, Feral Gems (Steven Universe), Future Fic, Gem Egg Hell, Gemlings, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-20
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-07-09 11:55:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19887304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaKedeSnaKe/pseuds/JaKedeSnaKe
Summary: After humanity finally conquered the art of interstellar travel, they embarked on a mission to explore the cosmos. They discovered many new types of life, but nothing could prepare them for what they would find in the Perseus Arm.





	Adventures in the Perseus Arm

Encounters made with lifeforms in the Perseus arm of the Milky Way were, interesting, to say the least. Everything from scientific bodies, galactic corporations, and federal ventures reported the ruins of some long-gone civilization on hundreds of planets in the Perseus Arm. Towering citadels, expansive settlements, and other incredible engineering feats of this alien society were discovered. Their technology must have been impressive, as carbon dating has proven that these structures are over several thousand years old, yet show minimal signs of deterioration. 

Another, more disturbing feature was discovered: resource extraction mechanisms of monumental size and power. Various extraction sites have been found, all surrounded by patches of dead zones with no life to be found. Their effects are more apparent than just at these locations. Compared with other planets not contacted by these aliens, these planets have shown to be much less biodiverse. No rainforests, no coral reefs, no conventional ecosystems known to be biodiverse. Nothing. The most biodiverse ecosystems instead were regular woodlands and grasslands. The life itself seemed to be drained from any planet that came into contact with these terraformers.

Whatever being that came and zapped much of the life out of these planets seemed to have been long gone by then, humanity thought. At least at first. Then we found out that these planets shared more than just decimated biospheres and derelict buildings. They shared one more trait: feral hominids.

Scientists upon documenting these feral beings (dubbed “gems”) didn’t originally think that they were feral members of a sapient lineage. But when archaeologists finally uncovered the remains of murals, statues, paintings, and holographic projections of the builders of this long lost society, they put two-and-two together and came to the disturbing conclusion that these wild hominids and the long lost builders were one and the same.

These wild sapients weren’t exactly creatures according to humanity’s conventional view of life. For one thing, they weren’t carbon-based lifeforms. They seemed to be made almost entirely out of some sort of manipulated light. The second flaw to the notion of them being alive were the gemstones that they all had grown into their bodies. Most had one gemstone, which could be found anywhere from the forehead to the right ankle. The third issue scientists had to grapple with was their lifespan. Mature specimens have been shown to be well over a minimum of 6,000 years old, many older than the ruined structures discovered. These are only a handful of many other seemingly blatant violations of the natural order, such as a need to almost never eat or drink, a high degree of variety in skin color and body shape, or their high resistance to physical damage. A light-based life-form being able to produce children through egg-like means takes the cake, however.

While they aren’t eggs in the traditional sense (they’re referred to as “geodes”) they act in a similar function. Two mature gems mate by rubbing their gemstones against each other’s, where the dominant one transplants infant genetic code into the submissive one. The genetic code will then form into a geode clutch of infant gems (dubbed “gemlings”), numbering anywhere from two to two dozen, depending on the species. Differing species will often crossbreed and create hybrids, fusions, or have their kin be the same species as their parents. After several months in a gestational period the pregnant, or “carrier” gem, will spawn the geode clutch from her gemstone one at a time. Like human pregnancy, this is often a painful process, and leaves the carrier weak for a short time afterwards. After several more months of incubation within the geodes, the gemlings will force their way through them and enter Stage 1.

The gemlings themselves are vastly different from human babies. They are born with full heads of hair, unlike humans. Gemlings also come in various different varieties, with some resembling human babies in form while others being more “chibi” in shape, referencing the cutsey art style of the early 21st century. Gemlings are much smaller that human babies, often half their size or less. They also emit different sounds depending on the species, with some resembling high-pitched growls, chirps, peeps, and squeaks. They also are much more tolerant to pain, as well as much less susceptible to catching diseases. The way they act is also unlike humans, acting much more playful and lively. Scientists have likened their behavior to animal young endemic to Earth, such as puppies, kittens, and even baby birds. As gems themselves seldom need to eat or drink, gemlings also share that trait, but need to be given more than adult specimens. Gemlings do have their fare share of similarities towards human infants. They tend to stick close to their parents, sleep often, and are overall weak despite their high resistance to damage.

The aging process in many gem species is drastically slowed down. Stage 1s (colloquially referred to as Hatchlings) will often stay in their state for years rather than months, as human newborns do. They will also stay in Stages 2 and 3 (Infants and Babies) of growth for years respectively. So long is the maturing process that it can very well take decades for a gem specimen to fully mature.

Soon after discovery biologists attempted to find a cause as to what led this once highly advanced species down a path to primitivity. But none could come to a concise conclusion as to what caused the gem’s decline of intellect. Theories such as hostile armies, disease, and evolutionary relapse have risen, but no such answer could completely satisfy this anomaly. In the meantime, these gems and their gemling kin roam the previously civilized celestial bodies of the Perseus arm, blissfully unaware of their past sapience.


End file.
